Liquid disposal systems are generally used for the evacuation of drainage liquids, usually non-potable wastewater, in a large number of applications. Examples of such applications are found in residence and business building sites that are subject to drainage liquid collection, such as where shallow underground water levels cause wall seepage or where ground water runoff accumulates. Whatever the source of liquid collection, liquid disposal systems find application to pump the collected liquid, which is often non-potable water, to acceptable drainage lines, usually return sewer lines or storm water drainage systems.
Over the past several years, the overall design of pump assemblies for liquid disposal applications has experienced little change. Typically, liquid disposal assemblies can utilize upright, pedestal or fully submersible pumps. Operational pump control has relied upon some form of switch arrangement to detect the presence and level of liquid collected, such as, for example, the level of wastewater in a collection basin. Such switch arrangements have included float rod and ball switches for pedestal pumps; mercury float switches; mechanical float switches; and diaphragm pressure switches. These switch designs have changed little over the past several years and continue to incur well known deficiencies.
Float switch designs are prone to failure due to such factors as wear of mechanical parts; wedging debris entanglement that prevents effective operation; and operational disconnect or maladjustment. With each of these one can expel failure of the pump to maintain a desired liquid level in a collection vessel.
Diaphragm pressure switches rely on the differential movement of a diaphragm having one side exposed to atmospheric pressure and a head pressure on the other side. It is known that such switches can vary in reliability depending on the elevation of the installation, and the breather tubes commonly used to sense atmospheric pressure are often subject to obstruction.
Submersible pumps used in liquid disposal systems are susceptible to failure when the pumping elements become clogged or otherwise frozen. Wastewater reservoirs usually contain debris that is drawn into the pump, and poor pump performance and pump damage follows.
There is a continuing need for a protective hood to cover the submerged pump and prevent the float switch from tangling with the discharge pipe and prevent debris from tangling with the float switch. The present invention answers these needs with a plastic hood that clamps to the vertical discharge pipe and supports the tether for the standard float switch. Below follows a brief description of the known related art.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,662,206 (1953) to Schaefer discloses a submersible electric motor sump pump. The pump enclosure includes a buoyant member, thus when water surrounds the pump, the buoyant member floats and turns on the pump.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,699,730 (1972) to Humphrey and French 945417 discloses a flexible plastic cover going over a sump hole, wherein the motor is not submersible but mounted above the cover.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,080,984 (1978) to Klein discloses a cylindrical sump cover that fits in the sump hole, covers the pump and has a top with a hole for the conduit output line.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,456,432 (1984) to Mannino discloses a wire tie on a sump pump discharge pipe, the wire tie holds a float switch to power a battery backup sump pump.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,890,425 (1990) to Mamula discloses a circular cover for a sump hole.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,264,449 (2007) to Harned et al. discloses a sump pump with its submersible container having a built in electronic level sensor. The container has a transparent lid.
Design Pat. No. 385,944 discloses a septic tank cover.
Pub. No. U.S. 2004/0231247 discloses a two piece cover plate for a sump hole.